Swimming apparatus



April 6, 1926.

H. OISHI SWIMMING APPARATUS Filed August 11, 1925 47 44- j'wruavm I 2Sheets-Sheet 1 A /weak O/Ml.

April 6 H. OISHI SWIMMING APPARATUS Filed August 11". 1925 V 2Sheets-Sheet 2 LWM wk, 4, flame/(u OIJH/ EVA Try:

Patented Apr. 6, 1926.

HANBOKU OISE-II, .OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

SWIMMING APPARATUS.

Application filed August 11, 1925.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, HANROKU 01am, :1 subject of the Emperor of Japan,residing in the city and county of Los Angeles and State of California,have invented a new and useful Swimming Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved device adapted to sustainindividuals in the water for an emergency or for pleasure, and providedwith a' manually operated propeller.

The'object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwhich will act as a float to help buoy up the body of the user withoutany tendency to turn the body over, to provide steering means adapted tobe operated by the user, and to provide propelling means therefor, thesteering means being actuated by a lever engagingthe head and neck ofthe user, and the propelling means being actuated by the handsof theuser.

A further object is to provide deflecting rudders, on opposite sides ofthe body, whereby the rear of the device may be sus tained in relationto the surface of the water to support a light or a heavyperson, and toattain a greater ease in propelling the device through the water. 4

Another object of the invention is to construct the device of such formand material that it is always ready for use, and is ellicient as ameans for maintaining buoyancy in and propulsion through the water, and

capable of gliding through the ater with a minimum of friction.

l/Vhile I have provided simple and efficient means for accomplishing theobjects herein specified, it is to be understood that the invention isnot limited to the precise con struction shown in the drawings, but thatminor changes, alterations and modifications, falling within the scopeof the appended claims, may be made.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved swimmingdevice.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device. Fig. 3 is a longitudinalsectional view of the device. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail view of theframe for the working parts, and showinga portion of the propellingmechanism. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the operativemechanism. Fig; 6 is a erspeetive detail view of the steering rud-Serial No. 49,576.

' of the device is formed similar to a b0at,and

has a rudder 14, for steering purposes,'a propeller 15, for propulsion,and tiltable rudders 16, for deflecting the device relative to thesurface of the water. r

The body of the float 11, is formed of twohalves 17 and 18, enclosingthe working mechanism, and secured together by a bolt, 19, extendingtransversely through the parts 17 and 18. A gasket 20 is interposed between the members 17 and 18. i

The working parts are mounted on a frame 21, and consist of the drivingshaft 22, mounted in the auxiliary frame portion 23, and having mountedthereon, the cranks 24, disposed on opposite sides of the body. A bevelgear wheel 25, fixed to shaft 22, drives the pinion 26 which is fixed tocountershaft 27. A gear wheel 28, on shaft 27 drives the combined pinionand gear wheel member 29, on a fixed shaft 30. The member 29, drives asimilar member 31 independently operably on shaft 27, and member 31,drives the pinion 32, on the propeller shaft 33. The propeller shaft 33,is journalled in the vertical brace 34, of frame 21, and carries thepropeller 15. The train ofgears set forth permits the operator, byactuating the cranksv 24, to drive the propeller.

- The steering lever 35, projects upwardly from the body of'the device,and has a forked end 36, adapted to engage with the neck of theoperator. Within thev body, a transverse b'race member 3'7, has mountedthereon, the pulleys 38, and a bracket member39, has mounted thereon,the pulleys 40. The rudder 14, is provided at the top with a cross lever41. Cables 42 and 43, connected at one end to arm 44, of lever 35, andat the opposite end to cross lever 41, pass over pulleys 38 and 40. i

The deflecting rudders 1 6 are fixed to a transverse shaft 45,journalled in the frame portion 46. A lever arm 47 is fixed to shaft 45.An actuating lever 48, pi'votally connected at the point 49, has an arm50 projecting from the body, and adapted to enga e 'w'ithrack teeth 51,along the edge of 510% 52, whereby the arm 50 is nelzilv in position ofadjustment; The opposite arm 53,

of lever 48, is connected by a link 54-, with lever arm 4'2". Thetiltingof rudders I6 is attained by adjustment of lever 48. Steeringlever extends in a transverse slot 55, in the body. A flexible andelastic'cover '56, fiXed to levers 48 and 35, and at its outer edges tothe body, serves to prevent water-entering slots 52 and 55.

In use, the device will h e-beneath and slightly forward relative to theswimmers body, and has'suflicient buoyancy whereby the "forward end 'ofthe device projects above the 'surfaceof the water. The degree ofbuoyancy is such that the device is not liable to turn over in use. Asmay ,be se'en,.the propeller is actuated-upon turning of thecranks bythe operator. The operator may, without releasing his hands, steer thedevice, by turning his head in thedire'ction in which he wishes to turn.This serves to actuate the-steering lever, and, through the cableconnectionswith the rudder, tot'urn the rudder correspondingly. Theeffectiveness of the device, relative to buoyancy, is safeguarded byconstructing the sameof wood and coi'lg'and avoiding any hollowcompartments, and the like.

What is claimed is:

"1. In a swimming apparatus, the coinbinationwith a buoyant'body,ofpropelle'r mechanism carried th'ereby, means for manually actuatingthe propeller mechanism, 'a's'haft extending transversely through thebody, deflector rudders mounted on the shaft and disposed on oppositesides of the body, a lever arm integral with the transverseshaft, anactuatin'glever mounted in the forward portion of the bodyand'projecting upwardly therefrom,- and angularly "adjustable fortilting the deflector rudders, and a notched sector form'aintaining theactuating lever in its adjusted positions, and a linkicon'necting theadjusting lever and said "lever arm.

2. In swimming apparatus, the conibination with a bouyant body, ofpropeller mechanism carried thereby, means for manually actuating the(propeller -mechanism, a ru dder mounted at the stern of the body, atiller lever mounted at the forward end of'the body and projectingupwardly therefrom, a bifurcated end on the tiller lever, tiller cablesconnecting'the tiller lever and the rudder, and cablepulleys for saidcables 'a'ranged whereby the'movement of thetillen'leverto the right or:to the left will actuate the rudder correspondingly.

1n swimming apparatus, a buoyant bod'yhaving-the greaterportion of itsbuoyant'mass at the forward and central portions of the body, a shaftextending transversely tl'irough the rear portion of the body, deflectorrudders mounted on the shaft and'disposed on opposite sides of the body,propeller mechanism carried by the body,

151821118 for adjustin'gthe deflector rudders to maintain the body in afloating position iii-accordance with the speed attained by, thepropeller mechanism, and means for maintaii'iingth'e deflector rudderadjusting means in adjusted position.

4. In swimming apparatus, a buoyant body composed'of two longitudinalsections,

means for securing the halves together, a

frame mounted in the body, a propeller mechanism mounted onthe frame andwithin the body, a propeller shaft projecting at the stern of the body,a propeller carried by the propeller'shaft, an operating shaft extendingtransversely through the body and in connection with thepropellermechanism b'ody, a cross lever car'ried'by the rudder and disposedwithin thebody, tiller cables connecting the tiller lever and the crosslever, and cable pulleys for :the tiller cables arranged whereby 'themovement of .the tiller lever to the right or to the left will actuatethe rudder.

15. 111 swimming apparatus, a buoyant body having two longitudinalhalves, means for securing the'halves together, inner recessed portionsin .the respective halves, a propeller mechanism ,mounted in the bodyand disposed in the recessed portions, a propeller shaft extending from'the stern portion of the body and in connection with the propellermechanism, a propeller mounted on the propeller;shaftand at the sternportion of the body, said body being composed of solid material, arudder for the body, a tiller lever projecting from the body, tillercables within the body and connecting the tiller lever and the rudder,said body having a transversely arranged slot for the tiller lever,deflect-or rudders disposed at the sides of the body, an actuating leverfor the deflector rudders projecting upwardly from the body and throughalongitudinal slot in the bo'dy, a link 'D'lBHllJi connecting thedeflector rudders and actuating lever, and an elastic and flexible coverfor said slots. 1 a

111' testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

HANROKU OISHI.

